Process of manufacturing zinc alloys.



v PAUL Gil-HRS ALBRECHT A ES PATEXT- OFFICE.

Genus, or BERLIN, GERMANY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 26, 1906.

Applicationfiled 'Jm 11.1903. Serial No. 161,108.

i fu fill whom, it mciy concern:

Beit known that we, PAUL Ghana, 43

-Graefestrasse, Berlin; German Empire, and

' ALBREC T GiiHRs,-.75 Plan-Ufer, Berlin, Gertallic zinc in a .man Empire, manufacturers and subjects of the. Kin of Prussia, have invented'a certain new and useful process-for manufacturing zinc-wit anged physical properties with excliisi'onof biridation and preventing the formation of hard zinc, of which the following is a: specification;

ltis well known that in the melting of me tallic zinc in pans or crucibles as heretofore practiced the formation of hard zinc is unavoidable The so-called' hard zinc, of: yery objectionable ph sical properties, isi

formed a very short time on melting mean or 111 a crucible and on keeping-it liqui at a constant heat of about 500 ce ntigradep The formation of hard {Zinc takes place still more rapidly in the coating of pieces of-iron, of metal sheets. and the like wit liquid metallic zinc. The hard zinc thus formed destroys the casting properties and the fluidity of the zinc and renders it un fit for further working. Just as troublesome and noxious in the workingof molten liquid zinc is theaction of the extraordinary quick and strong oxidation. This formation of oxid results from the vaporization of zinc, which takes place on'heating zinc to about 4509""centigrad. In zinc-coating plants, tor instance, the-"formation of hard zinc amounts to'about twenty-five to thirty per cent. and the .formation of 'oxid to about ten to fifteen percent.

According to the process herein described it is'possible to obviate these ditticulties, the formation of hard zinc being entirely and the rapid and strong oxidation of the liquid metallic-zinc being almost entirely eliminated, which is effected bv incorporating aluminium and bismuth with the zinc-bath, so-as to be retained therein.

"The process isc'arried out as followsfIn any suitable-vessel, taepan, or the like metallie aluminium is fused, and thereupon an 1 equal amount of zinc and a few tenths of one per cent. of metallic bismuth are added thereto, and the whole-mass is then fused and preferably' agitated. The metal alloy obtained 5 is cast, prefierably, in form of plates, bars, or v ingots. Thereupon metallic is fused in any suitable crucible, pan; or kettle at a temperature of about 500 3 to 600 centigrade, together with the above-described alloy of zinc, aluminium. and bismuth. T he latter is added in such quantities and for such time until the V8. orization of the entire mass of zinc which ias become fused together has ceased. For this purpose an amount of about 0.5 per cent. of aluminium and about 0.2 per cent. of

been found by experiments.

As ill)0" stated, the aluminium and hismuth can be incorporated with the zinc by melting the zinc together-that is, at the muth alloy. 011 the ceasing of the vaporization of the metallic zinc the formation of hard zinc is atonce entirely obviated, and atthe same time the rapid and strong oxidation is also almost completely prevented. Obviously zinc from any source, such as zincscrap, may be worked according to this process.

and bismuth in the described manner the whole mass of these metals is retained in the zinc-bath. this latter does not differ essentiallv in its composition from that of ordinary CILK e zinc-smelters zincbecause it consists of about ninety-nine per cent. of zinc, the aluminium and bismuth being present in such asmall amount of not so great as one per cent. The zine obtained according to the present process possesses very remarkable physical properties, which renderitparticularly of high value for zinc-coating and zinc-casting works.

\Vhat we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The process of producing a zinc alloy, which consists in incorporating an alloy of aluminium-zinc-bismuth with zinc of any source.

2. The process of producing a zinc alloy, which consists in melting the zinc at the same time together with an aluminit'un-zinc-b ismuthalloy. a

In witness whereof we have hereunto si ned our names in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. V

PAUL GUHRS. ALBREGHT GUHRS.

Witnesses: HENRY HASPER,

i WoLnEnAR HAUPT.

bismuth in the zinc-bathis sullicient, as has same time-with the aluminium-Zinc-bis- Although by incorporating the aluminium 

